FULL DISCLOSURE: I'm writing this as a stream of consciousness at approximately 4 AM in my bed because I can't sleep and wanted to feel productive by tinkering with the website. So here goes...

4.19.16 | It's Better To Want Than To Have

Sometimes I think about how I'm going to get all of the games played. How do I focus on a game that requires so much time and dedication like a Fallout while putting in the same (or even more) time and dedication into ongoing growing and changing games like Destiny? How do I play The Division AND Halo daily? Who has the time? Who has the money? Who has the patience, the devotion, the fortitude to put in the work? The answer is right there in front of me: Nobody. You're not supposed to. It's the journey, not the destination.

I think there is a certain level of serenity in the constant drive to get to that next level, discover that next game that's going to carry you forward, checking off that next game on your list. So why would anybody want to have no games left? Who wants to truly be at 100%? If you hit the summit, and looked down on the mountain of empty Xbox and Playstation game boxes, what will you have? That's why it's better to WANT than to HAVE.

This gives me peace, the thought that I don't need to worry about accomplishing some kind of Gaming Nirvana. I can enjoy the journey, I can revel in the struggle to fit it all into my life. Games are big and they're getting bigger. Look at No Man's Sky for the ultimate example, the developers have stated that it would take thousands of lifetimes to see all that the game has to offer. I don't think that's the last time we'll hear that about a game. Interactive mediums always strive to meet all kinds of needs. The beauty of this is that you, the gamer, do not need to fit yourself into a game or "win" at anything other than finding your needs met. Do you want to be "the best"? Do you want to get lost in a new world? Do you want to be the hero? Find your own way and don't worry about getting it "right". There is no right or wrong when it's YOUR experience.

I think that's where I'll close this rambling entry. As someone who's gone through divorce(s), lost both of my parents, squandered so much time, money, and life, I can tell you one thing: Franky was right. Doing it "My Way" is, in irrefutable fact, the only way to do it. Don't get so caught up in what's "right" or "wrong" when trying to figure out what to do next. As long as you're following your gut, your heart, you impulse, your own path, it's the only way you can go. So if you think it's time to move on to the next game, or feel regret for not finishing that last quest, remember that it's YOUR path and you don't have to prove anything to anyone but yourself.